Paint applying apparatus



Dec. 18, L. BODDY ETAL PAINT APPLYING APPARATUS Filed June l, 1949 una@ Patented Dec. 18, 1951 This invention relatesY generallyrto" devices" for applying paint or the like andis' particularly' adapted among other usesiforapplying a' uo'lrescent paint to indicating' dials;

An object of thisinventionis toprovi'desuch" a device which will apply paint inc'ontrolled" quantities and in controlledspaces.

Another object ofA` this invention` is l to' providew` such a device wherebyuoresc'ent paint 'maybe applied to preformed cavities? Another object of' this device "is" to provide means for maintaining" the" paint thoroughly'-l mixed.

of` the 'paintcau'sesthe paint t ow outwardly of'the discharge nozzle; n

More specifically; thel contaiil'rl I, which may b'e substantially in the shape of an"inverted necked bottle, hasan open top. which is closed byVY means ofA a' housing. 2"Acontaining a` fluidv motor. Pressure fluid is supplied' to the inlet i 3"of.the motor" as by aconduitfl connected to a suitablev source. Fluid rather than electric Another objectof this device is to' provide means for controlling the pressure at'whic'li'th'e paint is supplied to the discharge nozzle.`V

A furtherobjectofthisinvention is to provide such a device" whereby" a" plurality of similar cavities may be filled at any one time.

Other objects of this invention will be apparent from 'the specication, the appended claims "and the drawings in which drawings:

Figure 1 illustrates a paint-applying device embodying the invention; v

Fig; 2 is adetailed view of the nozzle ofFig". 1 taken substantially along the line 2`2 of` Fig. 1i

Fig. 3 is' a view'taken substantially along-the line 3--3 of.F`g. 2;'

Fig. 4"i`s'a'view taken substantially almigthe` Fig. 5 is a view taken substantially along the line 5 5 0f Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a modified form of the invention showing a plurality of modified nozzles arranged for tandem operation as by a pantograph; and

Fig. 7 is a view taken substantially along the line l-T of Fig. 6 showing a detailed view of the modied form of nozzles shown in Fig. 6.

Generically, the invention contemplates a new device for applying a fluorescent paint to numerals indented in transparent plastic indicating dials, such as those of an automobile speedometer. The paint to be applied is stored in a suitable container i and maintained agitated by means of a rotatable stirrer i5. Paint from the container I flows through a flexible conduit I6 such as a rubber tube to an applying nozzle 2B. The nozzle 2) is of suitable size to be conveniently held in a persons hand and guided about the numerals to flow paint into the recessed numeral. The discharge of paint from the nozzle 2E? is controlled by means of the lever 28. Preferably the container is carried on a suitable support at an elevation above that lupon which the dial 5 rests whereby the liquid head motors is pretrredtoreduce rehhazards from the` flammablesolvents Y usually lused.v rifhe stirrer or agitator 6 may `be directly carried by y the rotatable shaftA oflthev motor andfextends downwardly` into the container l. The container l is preferably.. carried. on a mounting 8 which is adjgustablysupportd'bye-vertical support Ill and heldfin a.selectedfposition'bythev set screwY 12.3'y The lowerneckedf end vofthe containerl l provides a discharge opening-v- |`4"'and receives the upper end of 'therexibleatube- I6.Y The lower endof-thetube'lt -is connected to the inlet con duit i I 8l ofthe -discharge. Yhead or nozzle 2d The.l nozzle 2a is provided. with a hun flow' passageway 224 extendinglongitudinally there--` through andfisinhopen duid-flow@ communication with the interior ofthe tubing Iii- Flow through the passageway 2 2-is` controlled 'byl means oigate valve 24 which has an actuating. portion 26 extending outwardly ofthe nozzle.20 andwhich is operatively connected with one end portion of the control lever 28. The; control lever Zai-is pivotally secured to the nozzle 2Q as by means of pin 30 carried by the nozzle 20. A helical coil compression spring 32, under compression between the control lever 28 and the wall of the nozzle 20, acts to hold the control lever 28 in a clockwise rotated position whereby the gauge valve 24 is in a position to block flow of paint through the passageway 22.

Upon squeezing the lower end of the control lever 28, the spring 32 will be compressed and the gate valve 2,4 will open to permit flow of paint through the passageway 22. An orice member 34, in fluid iiow communication with the lower end of the passageway 22, is carried by the nozzle 20 and has a discharge orice 3% for discharging the paint into the recessed figures 38 of the transparent plastic dial plate 5. Upon release of the control lever 28 by the operator, the spring 32 acts to rotate the lever 28 in a clockwise direction moving the gate valve 2li into blocking position with respect to the passageway 22.

In Fig. '7 there is shown a modified form of the nozzle 20A which comprises a hollow cylindrical member 58 externally threaded at its lower end to receive the nozzle member 52 having an oricelike outlet 54. The upper end of the nozzle 50 screw-threadedly receives a solenoid 56 having a movable core 58. A rodlike valve member 60 is secured at its upper end to the core 58 and extends downwardly through the member 50 and, when the solenoid 56 is deenergized, into the outlet orice'54. A packing member 62 is provided above the paint inlet 64 to the member 50.

Upon energization of the solenoid 56 the armature 58 is pulled upwardly moving the valve member 60 upwardly and outwardly of the outlet orifice 54 to permit paint to flow from the tubing 60 through the member 50 and the orice 54 into a numeral 38.

As shown in Fig. 6, a plurality of these nozzles 28A may be connected together in pantograph arrangement whereby a plurality of the dials may be done at any one time. In this instance all of the solenoids 56 of the nozzles 20A are connected together in parallel circuit to a suitable source of electric current energy supply LI and L?. through a suitable switch 66 which may be foot-actuated or if desired may be hand-actuated as by a lever 28 carried on the one of the nozzles 20A which is operated by the operator.

The nozzle 20 or nozzle 20A is grasped by the operator and the outlet 36 or 54 thereof is inserted within the recess forming the numeral 38 after which the actuator 28 is pressed or the solenoid 56 is energized to permit paint to flow into the recess numeral 38. It will be obvious for best flowing of the paint, the nozzle 20 or 20A will be directed as in a tracing operation in the recess figures 38. If desired air pressure may be applied above the level of paint in the container I as by means of the tubing or if desired the iiuid head of the paint may be used and the tubing 10 opened to atmospheric pressure. If it is desired to stir the paint within the tubing [6 an elongated wirelike member 'I2 may be secured to the lower end of the stirrer 6. Such member 12 extends down within the tube I6 so that as the stirrer 6 rotates, the wire 12 will also be rotated thereby mixing the paint within the tubing I6.

What is claimed and is desired to be secured by United States Letters Patent is as follows:

l. An apparatus for applying paint comprising distributing member having a passageway extending longitudinally therethrough, a flexible tube interconnecting said outlet and said passageway, a ow controlling member carried by said member and movable to control I'low of fluid through said passageway, an operating means for said ow controlling member carried by said distributing member, a cap member for said container and closing said open top, agitating means carried by said cap and comprising a spiraled ribbon extending into said container, and a iluid motor carried by said cap and operatively con nected to actuate said agitating means.

2. In an apparatus of the character described, a container for the storage of liquid medium and having an outlet, a distributing head having an outlet, a ilexible conduit connecting said container outlet with said head, valve means in said head controlling iiow of said liquid medium outwardly of said head outlet, a rotating member positioned in said container for agitating said liquid medium and held against longitudinal movement therein, an elongated flexible member extending from said container into said flexible conduit and operatively connected to said .rotating member for rotation thereby, and a prime mover carried by said container and operatively connected to said rotating member for rotating said rotating member and said iiexible member.

3. The combination of claim l in which said container outlet aperture is in axial alignment with the axis of rotation of said ribbon, and in which an elongated exible member extends through a major portion of said flexible tube and is operatively connected for rotation by said motor whereby the fluid within said ilexible tube is agitated.

LEONARD BODDY. SMITH B. ATWOOD, JR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the ile of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,670,362 Kaiser May 22, 1928 1,727,962 Buskard Sept. 10, 1929 1,857,218 Sawyer et al. May 10, 1932 2,208,636 Johnson July 23, 1940 2,309,286 Wentworth Jan. 26, 1943 

